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Robinhood launches 3% checking account

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Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#541
post #536

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll move my ~$100K emergency fund into there just to get free money. And move it out somewhere else when the rates change. Over the years I've moved accounts between Dollar Savings, Emigrant, Orange, Ally, and probably 2 or 3 others...

Nice way to humblebrag there.

It wasn't meant to be. I'm in my early 40's. I just saved and invested a bit each year.

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#542
3 percent is insane and not sustainable. One year treasuries are at 2.7 percent. I could short treasuries and put all my money in Robinhood... ripe for arbing. How are they making money? My first inclination is to think parking my money with them is super risky...

Edit: Looking at today's market and interest rates.

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#543

Earlier quoted context omitted.

here the catch, I believe: 1. it's ensured by SIPC, not FDIC, so it's not as safe. 2. They're going to lower that 3% rate down whatever all the other banks are at (2%) in a couple of years, unless the interest rates catch up to their higher rate, which they are expected to do in about 2 to 3 years: at that time, 3% will be roughly the norm for the highest interest savings accounts. I remember the days when Citibank w…

> It's just classic bait and switch. Are you unaware that interest rates today are drastically different than a decade ago?

all the other top savings accounts are currently 2% to 2.2%. i think they are not going to maintain that lead.

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#544

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The paper is pointing at one aspect of the modeling (estimating the covariances of the copula), versus another aspect (the copula concept itself). That’s a detail that was very important to the author of the paper, but not to my point. My point is that mathematical models were indeed being used and followed in this case, and that the issue really was with overextension of the model, and not just generic volatility of…

Completely agree that the crisis wasn't caused by generic volatility, but any mathematical limitations pale in comparison to the human failure of manipulating ratings due to a conflict of interest caused by private rating agencies. That is what the paper you linked concludes, versus your initial claim: >poor mathematical modeling of the statistical properties of collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) was the underlyi…

I'm choosing to include "protocols for setting parameters for the mathematical model" into the "mathematical modeling" line item - please note that is the phrase I used, twice.

I'm not "blaming the model" - probably everyone recognizes that all models have limits.

I call your attention again to the point of my original comment - the GGP comment was claiming that the best mathematicians in the world could not have foreseen the kind of conditions that caused the 2008 market failure. I'm arguing that it was possible, and that it was clear (mostly in retrospect) that the model assumptions were being violated most promiscuously.

In fact, the real reason I chimed in is that I think this crisis was a really awesome example of the power that quite abstract mathematical constructs have over our lives. I felt that point was missed in the generic comment about "who could have known" that kicked this thread off, and I sort of wanted to rescue that underlying mathematical issue.

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#545
post #215

For folks trying to understand this, some context which may be useful: Checking accounts are loss leaders virtually everywhere, the exception being smaller community banks. Their primary revenue stream was, once upon a time, net interest income, but these days due to the extremely low interest environment and alternate sources of funding the revenue stream is more weighted towards fees (primarily NSFs, although that…

> geeks who believe they have outmathed a financial firm should ask themselves "Are financial firms likely to be bad at math?" and "Are financial firms incapable of hiring their own geeks?" Moviepass was also bought by a financial firm... Come to think of it, they have many similarities. Both companies are basically handing out free money and it's unclear how they would make any profit. People speculate that both com…

With transaction fees alone, there's plenty of room to make money. A huge chunk of the population doesn't have money parked in savings/investment and literally spends nearly all of what they have coming in. Especially in younger/millennial targets.

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#546

Earlier quoted context omitted.

here the catch, I believe: 1. it's ensured by SIPC, not FDIC, so it's not as safe. 2. They're going to lower that 3% rate down whatever all the other banks are at (2%) in a couple of years, unless the interest rates catch up to their higher rate, which they are expected to do in about 2 to 3 years: at that time, 3% will be roughly the norm for the highest interest savings accounts. I remember the days when Citibank w…

> It's just classic bait and switch. Are you unaware that interest rates today are drastically different than a decade ago?

The Federal funds rate is currently 2.00-2.25%.

A decade ago, the rate was 1.00%. (And three days later, it was 0.00-0.25%.)

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#547

For folks trying to understand this, some context which may be useful: Checking accounts are loss leaders virtually everywhere, the exception being smaller community banks. Their primary revenue stream was, once upon a time, net interest income, but these days due to the extremely low interest environment and alternate sources of funding the revenue stream is more weighted towards fees (primarily NSFs, although that…

(Hijacking top comment for visibility)

Why/how is Robinhood now showing how far along I am compared to my friends on the waitlist? I dont believe I ever enabled any social sharing, and Robinhood's access to my contacts is shut off.

I do not feel comfortable sharing (and especially not broadcasting!) my financial decisions with people I am connected to on social media. This is pretty upsetting to me.

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#548

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The average person is more likely to lose money day trading than gain (especially considering the time sink). It's basically boring slow gambling wrapped in the guise of The American Dream.

Stocks are traded everywhere in the world. What’s this have to do with The American Dream!?

The American Dream is to accumulate wealth, and often involves looking for a way to get rich quick, some people think they can do it by day trading. There's a certain American stereotype of playing stocks to become wealthy.

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#549

For folks trying to understand this, some context which may be useful: Checking accounts are loss leaders virtually everywhere, the exception being smaller community banks. Their primary revenue stream was, once upon a time, net interest income, but these days due to the extremely low interest environment and alternate sources of funding the revenue stream is more weighted towards fees (primarily NSFs, although that…

(Hijacking top comment for visibility) Why/how is Robinhood now showing how far along I am compared to my friends on the waitlist? I dont believe I ever enabled any social sharing, and Robinhood's access to my contacts is shut off. I do not feel comfortable sharing (and especially not broadcasting!) my financial decisions with people I am connected to on social media. This is pretty upsetting to me.

1 - I have no specific information

2 - just because you didn't share doesn't mean your friends didn't

Re: Robinhood launches 3% checking account

#550
post #531

I just spent 3 months in London, and it's crazy how Monzo seems to have taken the market. Almost everybody seems to be paying with a Monzo card, regardless of age. Asking around, I consistently heard that Monzo's competitors like Revolut are going to be a future case study in scaling before great product/market fit. I don't know how many people have Revolut accounts, but nobody seems to be using their cards in public…

> Simple tried to reinvent banking, but they never seemed to go beyond polishing the UI. I'd take another look at Simple. I've been with them since the beginning and their recent enhancements are fantastic! Expenses tied to your pay schedule that automatically set money aside, same with goals. and then the big one for me was an interest bearing savings account, yielding 2%. See more here: https://www.simple.com/2perc…

Honestly, Simple botched the transition from Bancorp to BBVA. I switched all of my direct deposit and bill pay back to the big banks, closed my account, and never looked back.
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